Diabetes is a significantly common disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is one of our body's hormones that regulates the glucose in our blood. When diabetes is uncontrolled, blood sugar rises and, over time, this leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems, especially the nervous system and blood vessels. According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas (2021), 10.5% of the adult population aged 20 to 79 has diabetes, with nearly half of those individuals unaware of their condition. Projections from the IDF indicate that by 2045, approximately 783 million adults—about 1 in 8—will be living with diabetes, representing a 46% increase.
The study published in Cell mainly focuses on the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which is characterized as a disease that influences how your body utilizes glucose for energy and prevents the proper use of insulin. Over 95% of individuals with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Previously known as non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes, this form was once found exclusively in adults. However, it is now becoming more common among children as well.
In the study, a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells was placed in a 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes and her body started producing her own insulin in less than three months. With type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce insulin, so this was a great outcome. She is the first person with diabetes to receive treatment using the cells that were extracted from her body.
In the interview she did with Nature, she expressed her experience by saying that she could now eat sugar. “I enjoy eating everything — especially hotpot.” The woman asked to remain anonymous to protect her privacy. She achieved insulin independence 75 days after the procedure, showing a significant improvement in blood sugar control, with levels stabilizing within a healthy range.
After two-and-a-half months, the woman was producing insulin sufficiently for living. She also continued to produce insulin at that level for more than a year. She stopped having dangerous spikes and drops in blood glucose levels, which stayed within the desired range for more than 98% of the day.
“They’ve completely reversed diabetes in the patient, who was requiring substantial amounts of insulin beforehand.” said James Shapiro, a transplant surgeon and researcher at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He claimed that the results of the surgery were absolutely amazing.
Jay Skyler on the other hand, an endocrinologist at the University of Miami who specializes in type 1 diabetes, finds the results fascinating but remains cautious. He emphasizes that these findings need to be confirmed in a larger group of patients to truly demonstrate their effectiveness. Skyler also points out that while the woman’s progress is promising, it’s important to see if her cells continue producing insulin for at least five years before considering her fully ‘cured.’ Only then, he says, can we determine whether this breakthrough has lasting potential.
The study follows results from a different group in Shanghai, China, who reported in April that the transplant of the insulin producing islet into the liver of a 59-year-old man with type 2 diabetes was successful. The islets were again extracted from the man's own body that were turned into reprogrammed stem cells. The man reported that he did not need to take insulin anymore.
Islet cells can be very impactful to treat the disease but the researchers have trouble finding donors to meet the growing demand. Recipients must also use immune-suppressing drugs to prevent the body from rejecting the donor tissue.
Overall, the transplants made from the recipient’s own cells have various advantages. However, the procedures are difficult to expand and commercialize, say the researchers. Some groups of researchers also started trials of islet cells created by using the stem cells received from the donors, and the continuous research conducted by professionals keeps going. Through the on-going studies, scientists aim to improve the findings and come up with highly effective treatment methods. If they are successful, the findings of the studies will make around half a billion people’s lives healthier and easier.
Edited By: Ömer Gökce, Oya Yamaç
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